Sunday, December 02, 2007
Food, "Dish"

In the spirit of things

Eat, drink and be merry

By Kirsten Ott

ALL ABOARD
Last week, I dropped in for the hotly anticipated red-carpet VIP opening for AquaKnox, the trendy new dining destination located on the second floor of the Terminus building in Buckhead. The 275-seat restaurant and bar, which has its flagship location in the always-hot Las Vegas, is poised to be the next big thing for the city, with über-sleek décor like a posh ocean liner awash in marine-blue lighting, a water-encased walk-in wine tower, a state-of-the-art open kitchen, intimate blue-leather banquettes, a chic lounge and raw bar. Executive chef William Sigley was mingling with the guests. He’s the mastermind behind “global water cuisine,” a menu of fresh, clean and artfully prepared seafood, which includes the likes of jumbo lump crab cakes, Day Boat scallops, mesquite-grilled New Zealand king salmon and the AquaKnox’s signature Shells of the Sea, an ensemble of oysters on the half shell, sweet shrimp cocktail, fresh stone crab claws. I’m probably most excited about the wine selection, as I’ve become a bit of a snob about the grocery-store offerings of most restaurants in town. AquaKnox offers more than 500 selections, with 40 wines available by the glass. I can’t wait to return for a full dinner to get my sea legs. www.aquaknox.net.

DRINK IT IN
Holidays equal drinking for me. Not because I’m sad or stressed—far from it. I drink in the spirit of merriment, and I strongly encourage you to do the same. Hot Stix, which opened over the summer, is a fun do-it-yourself stir-fry restaurant in Lindbergh Center City. Guests pick the ingredients out, from the base of noodles and the rice to fresh fruits and vegetables, sauces, spices and meats. Throw it all in a bowl, and hand it off to the chef to heat things up for you in the 700-degree Mongolian grill. While you’re waiting for your creative masterpiece, order a Geisha Martini, a chilly holiday-ish concoction of Van Gogh gin, Peach Schnapps and a splash of cranberry, $7.75. www.hotstixstirfry.com.

FRESH TO GO
The holidays are stressful for the cooking-challenged. Fear not, recipe-phobes. Look like a genius in the kitchen with the new Gourmet Garden’s single-serve herb and spice recipe packs. The ingredients are picked fresh, washed, chopped and sealed in squeezable clear tubes. They’re a great time-saver, eliminating the muss and fuss, cost and waste of preparing fresh herbs and spices while cooking. Plus, they have a three-to-six month refrigerated shelf life, giving them the convenience of using dried herbs. All in all, these handy herbs and spices are a great tool to have, especially during the holiday cooking craze when hosts find themselves spending all their time in the kitchen and not entertaining their guests. The $3 packets of fresh goodness come in five categories: Italian (parsley, garlic and basil), Mexican (chili pepper, garlic and cilantro), Thai (chili pepper, garlic and basil), Garden Herb Medley (basil, cilantro and parsley) and Garden Spice Medley (garlic, chili pepper and ginger). www.gourmetgarden.com. SP

When she’s not checking out restaurants, interviewing chefs or nodding off after her fifth glass of wine, Food, Life & Style Editor Kirsten Ott dishes culinary and cocktail insights. E-mail her at kirstenott@sundaypaper.com.